Until very recently, dog owners in Port Richmond had limited safe options for their dogs to play outdoors.  There was no place for dogs to romp off leash before Mike Pizzola and other neighbors got involved to make a change. The neighborhood was in need for a place for just pups and so was born Monk’s Dog Run.

The idea for Monk’s came into being after the community started acknowledging and speaking out about things the neighborhood lacked. With the ongoing project of 95 Revive, community members were able to offer opinions and thoughts on the betterment of the neighborhood. With this feedback being welcomed, members of a dog meetup were given a great opportunity to contribute.  The need for a dog park was voiced — and heard! After Pizzola collected hundreds of signatures to prove the neighborhood was missing this necessity, residents lent their time and manual labor to turn nothing into something.

The plot where Monk’s is located — the lot at Aramingo Avenue and Bath Street  — used to be unkempt and overgrown, lined by ivy-entangled fences with intersections in cracked concrete filled with weeds. Volunteers helped clean up the lot, pulling out weeds, laying mulch and setting up a proper play place. The obstacles in the park are homemade; all things that were found and set up in the park. Tires, slats, pallets and the like are arranged in the park as obstacles for the dogs.

“We wanted to return the parks to the people and make a place that is just for dogs,” Pizzola said.

Local resident Lisa Stott says she used to take her dog all the way down to the Schuylkill River Dog Run far across the city or Fishtown’s Penn Treaty Park, though there is no fenced-in area. There are plenty of parks in the city of Philadelphia where dogs can walk on leashes, but very few parks for pups to run free.

One month after its opening, knowledge of the park is spreading. Many people have found out about the park’s existence by simply driving by, but also largely through Facebook, where the park’s page has become a great tool for dog owners in the area. Bridesburg resident Laura Sullivan and Stott explain how it is common to see dog owners posting photos of the dogs in action at the park, when they’ll be going to the park, and various updates. The page also includes photographs of the park in all the stages of existence so far — before, during and after the process of it becoming what it is today.

It is so much more than it was only a few weeks back. Currently, the lot right next to the dog park is also empty, but there are plans for this area as well. This space will be used to host events like flea markets, adoption days and meet-ups for families and their dogs. There is also talk of adding a smaller park off to the side specifically for little dogs. It’s all just beginning and the neighborhood is on board.

Monk’s Dog Run has a one-year probationary period, as of October 26th, to prove it’s worth. Pizzola is more than confident that it will.  The dog owners in the area are truly happy this park has come along. The park is community run, meaning the existence of Monk’s Dog Run is only possible due to the people who come with their pets to use the park. It’s an honor system with community members doing their part to contribute to keeping the park clean and safe. As long as the community stays happy with Monk’s, then the park isn’t going anywhere.

This is not to say the park won’t combat issues of its own. Just recently, palettes used as part of the obstacle course were disassembled and stolen from the park. Pizzola explains how he would be even more angered with this act of vandalism had the supplies been purchased or donated; at least they were free. Nevertheless, when Pizzola updated on Facebook to inform members, people were readily offering to help replace items, make the park more secure and so on. It is already abundantly clear that the community wants this park to stay and that people are willing to help in the ways they are able.

With winter on the way, there is ample time to make plans for springtime at the park. This will offer time for developing all the ways to use the space when the weather warms back up. Pizzola intends to organize a sidewalk cleanup for the area surrounding the park, hopefully shortly after Thanksgiving, to gain more awareness about Monk’s before winter really sets in.

This is a huge win for Port Richmond as a community. As the space gains popularity and the dogs bring people together who may not have otherwise connected, the space will only become more beneficial to the neighborhood and the Riverwards as a whole.

Monk’s Dog Run is located at Allegheny Ave. & Bath Ave. Hours of operation are 6AM – 10PM daily. Contact monksdogrun@yahoo.com for more information.